Celebrating new name, update program

By Erin Brodbeck
Collegian Staff
March 29, 2006

Faculty, staff and alumni from the School of Nursing celebrated its recent name change to the School of Nursing and Health Sciences on March 22 in the Hayman Center Mezzanine. The name was updated to include existing nutrition and speech-language-hearing programs.

Nursing staff and students held a banner that represented the
School of Nursing and Health Sciences' recent name change.
Photo taken by Erin Brodbeck.

The ceremony was lead by the Dean of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences, Dr. Zane Robinson Wolf. Wolf opened by offering a brief history of the nursing program. She explained its growth into what is now the School of Nursing and Health Sciences. She said that the name change “symbolizes the complexity of the school and university.”

She went on to commend those who had a large part in the development of the program, describing her staff and advisery board as “creative and never boring.”

The man behind the new name, Provost Dr. Richard A. Nigro, spoke of the importance of the school’s “change in identity,” saying that “identities have to change, even if we don’t want them to.” He said that a school must work on changing its curriculum before jumping to change the name of the program. He said that he believes that La Salle has succeeded in doing that.

Throughout the remainder of the ceremony, directors from each School of Nursing and Health Sciences program gave updates on what changes are expected to be made. The directors were proud of what their respective programs have to offer, and were optimistic about the future of the school as a whole. Director of the undergraduate nursing program Dr. Diane M. Wieland, said, “We have a lot to be proud of here at La Salle.”

Associate Professor Dr. Janice M. Beitz closed the program in a joyful manner, keeping the audience laughing with a cheer she had created about the nursing program to emphasize its many strong points.

Associate Director of the Public Health Program Mary Ellen Miller said that Wednesday night marked a “momentous occasion” for the revamped nursing program.

The faculty and staff were proud of what they had already accomplished and predicted more advances in future.

brodbecke1@lasalle.edu